Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content;
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
AE Houseman
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content;
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
AE Houseman
Happy Highways will be a Community Play informed by Paths Heritage Project. Throughout Paths we will have been investigating the community and our individual past and present, our dreams and fears about our future in relation to the paths we have taken, might have taken and those we could yet take. Individuals and small groups will have already presented some of the material through exhibitions, rituals and other forms; some of these events may have involved theatrical elements. Now we hope as many people as possible from Rusthall and around will come together to work collaboratively on the ambitious task of creating a work of art in terms of their community. This is unlikely to be a play as you might imagine one. We may be restricted by rules that don't allow large social gatherings, where people may still have to respect social distancing. Restrictions, hard and challenging as they may be in life can be the making of interesting new art. This will be a theatrical highway where the audience encounters travellers, overhear and witness scenes among the rocks, in the woods and along the paths. Individual stories may be told, we may then begin to see connections between the characters we meet and the stories we hear and start recognising a larger story of the community. Over the next twelve months these stories will emerge from what we learn about the people in our community past and present.
Improvisation and Devising Workshops (Preparation)
November-December 2020
The Paths project will have done much of the creative preparation of collecting provocations to stimulate devising workshops. We may want to search out more as the devising becomes more specific but we will have plenty to start. One of the gifts of devising is the way in which it challenges us to become authentic collaborators, to work with the spirit of generosity. If a group is working together, listening to each other, not worrying about power and control, the work is usually fantastic. Everybody can contribute in a devising workshop, you don't have to perform, make or whatever other task might be suggested, your presence as an audience member, a critic, an advisor, or a contributor of spoken ideas are all invaluable.
Composition Workshops
January - April 2021
Devising is exploring ideas, composition is finding connections between the ideas, creating an order, developing an overall story. Creating the actual composition of the play, you might call 'a script'. This is your opportunity to input into the composition of the play. Composition workshops can be both open to the public or customised to a specific group involved in arts or educational activities (music, performance, painting, crafts, dance, film, poetry, writing, literature, heritage and history, environment and conservation etc).
Production Period and Rehearsals (Production Period)
May- July 2021
Casting is open to everyone and no one is turned away. Scenes can be rehearsed in small groups, as can elements produced by different entities and groups (school, drummers, choir) can be rehearsed separately and brought together with other parts of the production as rehearsals progress. The final rehearsal stage runs into the summer so we can use the performance spaces as much as possible. In the final week of rehearsal all elements are brought together for full cast calls. Limiting time is a deliberate and valued part of the creative process. How this process is actually managed will of course be dependent on rules around the pandemic at that time.
THE PERFORMANCE
July 26th - August 2nd 2021
The conditions we are working under next summer remain unclear but we shall present something within the safest boundaries allowed. The performance style will reflect Claque’s wider agenda related to exploring the concept of the Social Actor, an idea born out of the Community Play and the actor’s relationship with the audience. Happy Highways as part theatrical walk will add a dimension of "implicating the audience". It will be a personal experience for each audience member because their encounters with performers will be unique to the moment they encounter each other.
We have much to do in preparation, finding funding, raising monies and support in other ways.. The performance will be about an 1hour but may well be staggered with audiences starting a walk, for instance ,at different times.
Improvisation and Devising Workshops (Preparation)
November-December 2020
The Paths project will have done much of the creative preparation of collecting provocations to stimulate devising workshops. We may want to search out more as the devising becomes more specific but we will have plenty to start. One of the gifts of devising is the way in which it challenges us to become authentic collaborators, to work with the spirit of generosity. If a group is working together, listening to each other, not worrying about power and control, the work is usually fantastic. Everybody can contribute in a devising workshop, you don't have to perform, make or whatever other task might be suggested, your presence as an audience member, a critic, an advisor, or a contributor of spoken ideas are all invaluable.
Composition Workshops
January - April 2021
Devising is exploring ideas, composition is finding connections between the ideas, creating an order, developing an overall story. Creating the actual composition of the play, you might call 'a script'. This is your opportunity to input into the composition of the play. Composition workshops can be both open to the public or customised to a specific group involved in arts or educational activities (music, performance, painting, crafts, dance, film, poetry, writing, literature, heritage and history, environment and conservation etc).
Production Period and Rehearsals (Production Period)
May- July 2021
Casting is open to everyone and no one is turned away. Scenes can be rehearsed in small groups, as can elements produced by different entities and groups (school, drummers, choir) can be rehearsed separately and brought together with other parts of the production as rehearsals progress. The final rehearsal stage runs into the summer so we can use the performance spaces as much as possible. In the final week of rehearsal all elements are brought together for full cast calls. Limiting time is a deliberate and valued part of the creative process. How this process is actually managed will of course be dependent on rules around the pandemic at that time.
THE PERFORMANCE
July 26th - August 2nd 2021
The conditions we are working under next summer remain unclear but we shall present something within the safest boundaries allowed. The performance style will reflect Claque’s wider agenda related to exploring the concept of the Social Actor, an idea born out of the Community Play and the actor’s relationship with the audience. Happy Highways as part theatrical walk will add a dimension of "implicating the audience". It will be a personal experience for each audience member because their encounters with performers will be unique to the moment they encounter each other.
We have much to do in preparation, finding funding, raising monies and support in other ways.. The performance will be about an 1hour but may well be staggered with audiences starting a walk, for instance ,at different times.